2019
by literal-llamas
Summary: After James discovers the Marauder's Map, he uses it to spy on his younger relatives. Lily Luna and Hugo have just started Hogwarts, and their sibling want to keep an eye on them.
1. Chapter 1 - The Map

James Sirius Potter examined the old parchment in his hand, his fingers following the split directly down the middle. His father had obviously put intense care into keeping it from his children's mischievous grip. It seemed nothing more than plain old parchment.

"What the hell is this?" He muttered, about to place it back into his father's previously locked drawer. Suddenly, black ink danced across the parchment and sunk in quickly.

'_Mr Prongs recognises a young Potter' _is what James saw scrawled across the front. The handwriting was messy, but looked like it was usually messier. Like the writer was trying to seem more mature than they really were.

'_Mr Padfoot suggests that this one can be trusted' _soon appeared in almost illegible handwriting after the first message had faded away.

'_Mr Moony thinks this one can be anything but trusted. Obviously a troublemaker, like you two.'_ James was shocked. The little sheet had thoughts. Were there people trapped inside?

'_I'm sorry!' _was written almost immediately after the previous message had disappeared.

'_Bog off, Wormtail, you lying coward!' _The second 'person' wrote.

James laughed.

'_Mr Prongs would like to inform the young Potter that this is NOT a laughing matter. He would also like to suggest that he be told the secrets of the map.'_

'_Mr Padfoot agrees. What about Mr Moony?'_

'_Mr Moony would be honoured to pass on a legacy.'_

"Legacy?" James mumbled. "And I'm James. James Sirius."

'_Mr Prongs begs James to simply tap his wand to this parchment and solemnly swear that he is up to no good. He must also manage his mischief when he is done.' _

James nodded and grabbed his wand. "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

The final message faded and the ink drew a majestic pattern around the front. James saw the words 'The Marauders Map' bold on the front, with other things dotted around which he couldn't be bothered to investigate properly. James flung the parchment open and saw the interior of a building. Being in his fourth year of the notorious school of magic, he quickly realised that the map was of Hogwarts. He also noticed the name 'Argus Filch' in a ribbon written by the Great Hall. The ribbon then moved slowly to the other end of the hall, footsteps showing its path. 'Mrs Norris' then appeared from seemingly nowhere and placed itself beside Filch.

"I'm taking this to school." James laughed.

"James! Are you packed? We're leaving for King's Cross in 20 minutes!"

James gulped before shutting the parchment and murmuring 'Mischief Managed'. He watched as the ink faded and again, he was holding no more than a piece of parchment.


	2. Chapter 2 - The Train

"Third year already? We're getting old."

Rose Weasley laughed as her best friend Erin Ember strolled into her compartment. "Hey," she said. "Who's the midget?"

Rose put her arm around her younger brother Hugo, like a promise to protect him. He turned slightly pink and shuffled backwards, tripping over Lily Luna Potter's feet and falling into the lap of her older brother, Albus Severus.

"Calm down, Hugo," Albus laughed. His voice had broken over the holidays, and the girls couldn't help but snigger whenever he spoke.

"Shut up!" He growled.

"You sound weird," Lily Luna stated bluntly, gesturing for Hugo to sit down next to her. They were as close as Rose and Albus, just a little younger.

"Where's Scorpius?" Rose muttered.

"Ugh," Albus groaned. "Are you still friends with the Malfoy kid?"

"Albus!" Rose snarled. "Remember what your Dad said!"

Albus threw his head back, and recited "It's not nice to discriminate against people's family," in monotone. Rose rolled her eyes.

"But where is he? He didn't answer my last letter either. I hope he's alright..."

"Stop worrying, he'll be fine. Your owl isn't the smartest." Erin chuckled.

Rose sighed. "Where's James?"

Albus shrugged. "Probably snogging some random girl."

"Do you snog random girls, Albus?" Lily Luna giggled, nudging him in the ribs.

Albus cleared his throat. "Oh yeah. Absolutely."

Erin couldn't contain her laughing and lay on the floor wheezing for extra effect. She was eccentric at times, but she really was brilliant.

"Nearly done?" Albus asked, slightly offended, but obviously attempting to hold back his own chuckles.

Rose was distracted by the door, where her friend Marley Coal walked past and nodded a hello.

'_Wait. Are we friends or...' _

Rose wasn't sure exactly what terms she was on with Marley, considering he had a crush on her in first year, which caused him to send anonymous love letters. Then Erin had pulled his hair.

Throughout the second year, they hadn't really spoken. They worked together in Herbology, but they hadn't really talked much. Rose presumed Marley didn't have a crush on her anymore.

'_I'm a pretty strange person to have a crush on.' _She told herself. She didn't have anything against herself; she was happy enough with herself, but she just couldn't understand how she was any more special than anyone else.

She started thinking about Scorpius. _'What was the last letter I sent..?' _She tried to recall everything they'd talked about over the holidays (which wasn't much). The last thing she sent was about something her Dad had said about Draco and his friends. Chris or something.

'_It's not Chris... Ceh... Ca... Crab. Crabbe!'_

Ron had told his daughter about the late Vincent Crabbe, who apparently did some unforgivable stuff too. She had wanted to know more, and obviously questioned Scorpius. That was the last letter she sent, and it hadn't really been that long ago either. But it had been long enough for a reply.


	3. Chapter 3 - Friends

"Gryffindor!" Exclaimed the sorting hat after three whole minutes of being sat on Hugo Weasley's head. He gave a sigh of relief and almost skipped to the Gryffindor table, where the entirety of his family sat. The Weasleys and Potters all craved to be in Gryffindor, as it was something of a family tradition. Although it was very unlikely that they would be frowned upon, the children seemed to have that scenario in their head the second they stepped through the doors.

"Hugo, well done!" Rose, his sister yelped, bringing him into a tight hug, obviously intended to squeeze the living daylights out of him. He suddenly felt slightly jealous of his cousin Lily Luna, who had received nothing more than a simple high five and hair ruffle from her two older brothers.

"Rose, you're gonna kill the kid!" Albus laughed.

Rose loosened her grip and blushed. "Sorry," she muttered. Hugo rolled his eyes and started to talk to Lily Luna, who was brushing the knots out of her flame red hair with her fingertips.

"Where's Erin?" Albus asked. Rose shrugged her shoulders.

"I was looking." Erin said casually, suddenly appearing by Rose's side.

"Speak of the devil." Albus muttered. Erin stuck out her tongue.

"Looking for what?" Rose pressed.

"People." Erin mumbled nonchalantly.

"Which people?"

"Just people. Pass the chicken."

Rose sighed and grabbed a couple of chicken drumsticks.

"Do you have friends, Al?" Erin said after a few minutes.

"Yes!" Albus told her. "Where did that come from?"

"I only see you talking to Rose and the rest of your family."

Rose realised Erin was right. She didn't know of any of Albus' friends. Maybe they were in different houses...

'_Yeah. Right. I doubt Albus would talk to anyone outside of Gryffindor.'_

Albus shrugged. "I've got friends. There's..." Albus quickly scanned the table. "Marley. He's my friend. And there's Rose-"

"Rose is family. Doesn't count." Erin laughed.

"Fine. There's – There's you!"

"I didn't say I was your friend." Erin chuckled.

"Oh, shut up." Albus scoffed.

"Make me."

Albus raised an eyebrow.

"Potions! Come on!" Rose yelled, grabbing a smirking Erin's arm and dragging her out of the Great Hall.

"Have fun, Hugo!" Rose yelled as they got lost in the sea of people.


	4. Chapter 4 - Map, Meet My Sister

James kept near the walls on his way to Defence Against the Dark Arts, his eyes fixed on the Marauder's Map. He watched his own footsteps being passed by those from other students, who seemed to be placing a higher importance on arriving at their classes than him. He noticed his brother already sat in his class.

"Hmph. The swot." He snorted. After the hallway had begun to clear, James noticed two more familiar names heading his way.

"Oh, James!" Lily Luna breathed, her hand clasped onto Hugo's wrist as they turned a corner leading into the same corridor as him. "Do you know where Transfiguration is?"

Red-faced Hugo was focused on the parchment in James' hand. "You have a map?"

"A map? Let me see!" Lily Luna said, lunging forward and snatching the map out of her brother's hand.

"No, Lil, it's not a map! It's..." James pushed his hair backwards and sighed as Lily Luna's eyes widened.

"This is a weird map. I've seen some of Dad's maps before but I don't think I've seen any of them _move_. What's... What's a marauder?"

"Oh Jesus, Lil, I... Ugh... Don't tell _anyone_. I have a feeling I'm not supposed to have this. I don't think anyone's supposed to know about it. Look at it. It looks special, doesn't it?" James stammered.

"I guess it does." Lily Luna agreed.

"Don't tell anyone or I swear I'll..." James didn't have the heart to finish his threat, especially since Lily Luna had always been someone to trust.

"I won't. Hugo?"

"I won't tell anyone either." Hugo nodded. James had forgotten Hugo was even there. It was funny the way he seemed to cling desperately onto Lily Luna, like a red-headed parasite. They were almost one person, Lily Luna being the strong, confident, intelligent side, and Hugo the quiet, reserved, shy side.

"James, could I borrow that to find my way around school? Just for this week, so I can find everything. Then I'll give it back." Lily Luna asked, her green eyes shimmering with plea. Lily Luna seemed to almost always get her way, yet she didn't beg, or nag, and wasn't at all spoiled, or ungrateful. Her way just always seemed the best.

"Fine." James sighed. "But to open it, you say 'I solemnly swear that I am up to no good'. Then you close it by saying 'Mischief managed'. Got it? You have to close it."

"Of course. Thanks, James!" Lily Luna grabbed Hugo's wrist as they dashed towards their class.

**_/A.N. Yeah so I dunno if you can tell but I'm extremely not writey at the moment (Which usually happens when I have actually have ideas for a fic, like this one. I put pressure on myself to make the ideas all pretty so I please myself? Idek. Please review because reviews help me live on or something/_**


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